The Connection between Gut & Brain Health and Hormones
Written By: Roxane Shymkiw
Are you dealing with brain fog, fatigue, painful periods, anxiety, or mood swings? Then it’s time to look at the connection between your gut, brain, and hormones. These three systems work together managing stress, mood, and energy, but when one is out of balance, the other two often follow. Gut health can influence the brain and its ability to coordinate and manage hormone production, and conversely, the brain can also impact gut activity, including motility and permeability. The gut-brain axis helps to keep hormones in balance, affecting everything from how we handle stress, sleep, eat, and feel emotionally.
Hormones and the Gut-Brain Axis
The gut-brain axis is a two-way communication system between your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and enteric nervous system in your gut. This connection influences how hormones are produced, circulated, and used in the body. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland, in the brain, are the command centres for hormone regulation, controlling everything from thyroid function to reproductive hormones.
Role of the Gut Microbiome
The gut plays a vital role in hormone regulation and balance. Beneficial gut bacteria help break down and eliminate excess hormones from the body, an essential step in maintaining hormone balance. The gut microbiome also influences sex hormone levels, plays a role in thyroid hormone activation (which affects metabolism), and houses 70–80% of the immune system. In addition, the gut helps regulate key metabolic hormones like leptin, ghrelin, and insulin—which control appetite, satiety, and blood sugar—through gut cells that communicate directly with the brain. These hormones don’t just impact digestion and energy balance; they also influence mood, memory, and emotional regulation. The microbiome also affects how sensitive the body is to stress and how much cortisol is produced. Over time, elevated cortisol levels can weaken the gut lining, disrupt digestion, and shift the balance of good to bad bacteria. This creates a vicious cycle of gut inflammation, increasing stress hormone output, and excess stress further damaging the gut. When the body is stuck in chronic “fight or flight” mode or gut inflammation persists, the body will struggle to maintain balanced hormone levels.
Here's what the gut-brain-hormone connection can look like:
o Chronic stress starts to weaken the gut, which disrupts hormones
o Poor diet starts to inflame the gut which triggers anxiety and hormone imbalances
o Hormonal fluctuations (like during perimenopause) affects digestion and brain chemistry
Tips to Support Gut, Brain and Hormone Health
Eat for Brain and Hormone Health
o Focus on healthy fats.
o Omega-3 fatty acids (found in wild salmon, flaxseeds, and walnuts) support brain function and hormone production.
o Prioritize protein-rich foods.
o Protein provides the building blocks necessary for the production and regulation of hormones involved in reproduction, metabolism, and stress response. Eating protein also supports blood sugar balance, a key factor in mood and hormone stability.
o Include complex carbs.
o Foods such as quinoa, sweet potatoes, and rolled oats provide fuel for brain function and support serotonin (“the happy hormone”) production.
Feed Your Gut for Better Brain and Hormonal Health
Eat more fibre.
Soluble fibre feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut, and insoluble fibre supports regular bowel movements, which is crucial in removing excess hormones. Think legumes, oats, flaxseed, chia seeds, and veggies.
Include fermented foods.
Probiotics, found in fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha, add beneficial bacteria to your microbiome. Rotate the fermented foods for probiotic diversity.
Stay hydrated.
Hydration helps keep your digestive system running smoothly and ensures the removal of toxins and excess hormones.
Limit refined sugars and processed foods.
Refined sugar, carbs, and artificial ingredients fuel dysbiosis and gut inflammation. Focusing on a wide variety of natural, nutrient-dense, whole foods will support gut health and hormonal balance.
Support Your Stress Response
Prioritize stress management and restorative sleep.
Both gut and hormone health suffer when there is a lack of sleep and stress levels are high. Deep breathing, walks in nature, or even a nightly wind-down routine can help to restore balance.
Get daily movement, fresh air, and sunshine.
Regular physical activity can positively impact gut, brain, and hormone health by influencing stress hormones and insulin sensitivity and increasing the diversity of beneficial gut bacteria.
Practice mindfulness and mindful eating.
Eating in a calm state will improve digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Your brain, gut, and hormones are always communicating, and nutrition and lifestyle are powerful ways to help them stay in sync. By making small, intentional changes to your daily routine, you can support your body’s natural ability to stay in physical, mental, and hormonal balance.
Do you want to get even healthier? If you’re looking to introduce fresh foods and change the way you eat—in a way that’ll help you improve your health, appearance, and performance, and maybe even rebalance your microbiome then let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with us today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about! Visit www.noshoesnutrition.com and sign up for a FREE consultation. We work with people from all over the world individually or in groups so don’t let anything hold you back!
References
He S., Li H., Yu Z., et al. The gut microbiome and sex hormone-related diseases. Front Microbiol. 2021 Sep 28;12.
Qi X., Yun C., Pang Y., Qiao J., The impact of the gut microbiota on the reproductive and metabolic endocrine system. Gut Microbes. 2021 Mar 15;13(1).
Sun L-J., Li J-N., Nie Y-Z., Gut hormones in microbiota-gut-brain cross-talk. Chin Med J(Engl). 2020 Apr5;133(7):826-833.
